Imaging God: Exploring Identity, Purpose, & Role (Part One)

On page 1 of the Biblical narrative, God lets us in on a conversation of the Godhead - Father, Son, and Spirit, where He makes a remarkable declaration, “Let us make humans in our image.” This honor and responsibility are not given to any other part of creation mentioned in the preceding verses. It is unique to humankind and sets the Biblical account apart from other creation stories of that time.

In all other creation narratives familiar in that day, it was common for deities to require their image to be made and placed in a temple, rather than infusing it into the very essence of the humans they created. This makes the creation story outlined in Genesis 1 strikingly different to those first hearing it.

Imagine being one of those listeners; at first, you would likely nod along, as everyone in the ancient world believed that a deity brought the world into existence. All religions, including that of the Israelites, claimed their god was the creator. Moses’ writings confirmed that the God of Israel was the creator. However, as readers reach this significant point in the story, the nods would likely turn into raised eyebrows and dropped jaws.

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them…”

The term "image bearer of God" was neither odd nor confusing; it was a term everyone was well acquainted with. For centuries, people had lived under Pharaohs, the only humans believed to hold this title. These kings and queens were said to be uniquely chosen to embody this role, ruling on behalf of all humanity.

However, the God of Israel, the Creator, had a different plan. His desire and design allowed all humanity to bear this title and embrace its meaning, ruling over all creation. With the title "image bearer" came two crucial and interconnected realities: a royal identity and a royal purpose.

Royal Identity

As “image bearers of god”, the Pharaohs were uniquely privileged to be called ‘Sons and Daughters of God.’ However, the initial readers began to realize that God’s original intent reveals a different story. His desire was not for just a select few to carry this royal identity, but for all of humanity to bear His image. This truth was mind-blowing, especially for the disheveled, homeless, and marginalized people receiving this message. They were told they were royalty—children of the Most High God. This newfound understanding of their identity changed everything (or at least it should have). And it still holds for us today. We don’t need to search for our identity in the world or base it on our work or relationships. God has already defined our identity for us.

Royal Purpose

The early readers would have understood that with the privilege of a royal identity came a royal responsibility—a purpose. Pharaohs were positioned as God's sole representatives on earth. No one else bore this responsibility or title; others merely existed to serve the Pharaohs. However, Genesis 1 tells them and us that the Creator God designed it differently. His desire was for all humanity to represent Him. He intended for us to live our lives as a reflection of who He is, showcasing His glory to the world in whatever we do.

Just like the people of that time, he invites us into his God-given purpose: to represent Him on earth, ruling as He does. In Genesis 1, God declares his intent. Humanity has been granted the privilege of an identity as children of God, made to be part of the family of the God-Head. With this privilege comes the responsibility of representing our Creator among the rest of creation, ruling over it on behalf of God.

The WHAT to our WHY: Humanity’s Role As Cultivators

In Genesis 2, God further defined humanity's purpose by assigning the task of caring for and cultivating everything He created. In this sense, the ‘what’ was added to the ‘why.’ As God's image bearers, humanity found themselves in a world as it was meant to be, but not as it was meant to remain. The world needed cultivating, and humans were asked to take on that responsibility, but to do so as God's children, representing him in the process. The creator intended for creation to continuously experience his goodness (tov) through the care and cultivation of His image bearers, which involves God's children reflecting His character; embodying Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control. Doing so, we help ensure that the original intended state of shalom—wholeness and peace—endure, even as societies form and cultures evolve.

As farmers work the land, shepherds tend their flocks, builders construct homes, engineers design infrastructure, artisans and musicians create, teachers impart knowledge, parents guide and shape their children, and communities engage with one another, God will reign as King over all. In this vision, humans govern His kingdom on His behalf, creating a world where order, beauty, righteousness, and justice are the norm—this reflects how God's realm is.

In Revelations 21 and 22, God promises that it will be this way again one day.

Avoda

As mentioned above, Genesis 2 outlines humanity's mandate and role as cultivators. The word we have translated as ‘cultivate’ is the Hebrew word ‘Avoda’, which signifies work, service, and worship throughout the Old Testament. At the story's beginning, we gain insight into the significance of the "what" in relation to our "why."

This ‘work’ is not merely…

• A means to an end

• A way to pay the bills

• A way to gain access to a country or community

• An opportunity solely to share a Gospel message during lunch

• A necessary evil that we must endure until we reach "heaven"

It is inextricably linked to giving God His worth (worship) and is a substantial part of how we represent Him on this earth.

In Genesis 1, we see that humans are given an identity and a purpose through a mandate for living it out. It addresses two of the most profound questions humanity has wrestled with for millennia: Who am I? and Why do I exist?

We can confidently respond to these questions: I am a child of God, created to represent Him on earth. I fulfill this purpose by caring for and cultivating the spaces I inhabit.

These truths are unchanging because our Creator determined and declared them from the beginning.

Paul reminds us in Ephesians 1:4-5 that this was established before time began:

“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ.”

Paul further explains in verses 12-14 that God did this.

“that we would be for the praise of His glory”.

In other words, our lives are meant to be a glorious reflection of our good Creator God in the world. Therefore, we no longer need to ponder these age-old questions; they are settled. The pursuit of identity and purpose concludes here.

Now, our challenge is to embrace this truth and live it out, orienting every aspect of our lives around demonstrating what God is like to the world. This is our way of life. It is what He created us for. It is not merely a strategy, a program, or a project—it is the orientation of our lives that informs and instructs everything we do and how we show up in every space we occupy.

But wait–Genesis 3 happened!

Satan sought to distort the image of God in humans by questioning God’s authority and encouraging them to follow their own paths. He appeared to succeed as they believed his lies and chose to rely on human wisdom, thus breaking their relationship with God. Not only was humanity's relationship with their Creator distorted, their responsibility toward creation was compromised. Creation would not experience the shalom God intended because those meant to govern it chose a different path—one that led to injustice instead of justice, strife instead of peace, hate replacing love, and self-centeredness along with unkind acts becoming commonplace.

A distorted and disintegrated image replaced God's glorious reflection within humanity. Instead of cultivating creation for God's glory, many began to exploit it for their own gain.

Paul tells us that now creation groans, waiting for the day when this reality will change and the children of God will be redeemed to once again fulfill (in full measure, not just in part) our purpose of cultivating and caring for creation, ruling it as God's representatives in the new earth.

Rev 22:3-5: “No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”

God did not and will not give up on His plan. That day is coming.

In the meantime, he has been relentlessly pursuing a people for himself. Humanity has repeatedly shown a tendency to do things its way. Time after time, God sought to correct, forgive, and bless. This cycle has persisted while a patient God has called His people to live as He designed, to experience the shalom He created, and in a fallen world, show others how living according to God's ways leads to blessing and worship of Him.

This pursuit culminated in God becoming flesh and dwelling among His creation in human form. Jesus came to announce that God was still King and that His Kingdom was here; that people are to live according to the way of His Kingdom. He demonstrated and taught what this entailed, and before He ascended, He instructed those who followed Him most closely to go, teach, and show others how to live.

His death and resurrection ushered in a new reality that broke the power of sin and death, restoring humanity's original identity for those who recognize Jesus' kingship and follow His ways. We can once again bear the title of children of God and represent the Father in everything we do.

Our Unique Roles–HOW we live this out:

I am sure it did not take long for the early readers to wrestle with how to live out this incredible new reality. What did this mean for the shepherd sitting in the wilderness, tending to the sheep they had brought out of Egypt? Or for the artisan, the mother, or the farmer? They, too, carried this title, but their realms of influence were much smaller, felt less significant than that of a Pharaoh, and certainly came with much less power.

Understanding the WHO, WHY, and WHAT brings us freedom and clarity. We can then live in the truth that whatever we do can be done for the glory of God. Whether building homes, washing dishes, feeding people experiencing homelessness, or reading a story to our children, every action is an opportunity to represent our Creator.

However, the question remains: How do we live this out practically? What actions does God want us to take to fulfill our God-given purpose?

Come back next week for PART TWO where we explore how to live this out practically through your unique, God-given S.H.A.P.E.

Written by Andrew Scott